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June 14, 2015

SEPARATE BUT EQUAL: University to Segregate Gay Students

The University of Oklahoma is building a segregated lounge for gay students.

Oddly enough, this segregation is being enacted at the behest of the LGBTQ community at the school.

It is yet another example where liberally-minded groups seek to isolate themselves from outside opinions, where they are free to interact without having to socialize with people who practice other lifestyles.

How quickly those who shout about tolerance have changed their tune.

There was a time when society strove to be more tolerant of each other.

Especially in the United States, where nearly every ethnic, racial, and religious group is represented in some segment of the population, the concept of tolerance allowed for groups to peacefully coexist.

But intolerance can cut both ways. While it has traditionally been thought of something a majority holds towards a minority, we are now seeing more and more examples of intolerance coming from minority groups.

At OU, it is just a lounge, but the group isn’t content with that. They actually want an entire research center. Soon they may have their own schools.

Consider the double standard: could straight students have their own lounge without causing an uproar and national outrage?

Of course not. But proponents will say this gives LBGTQ students a safe place. The insinuation is that OU’s campus is so hostile to gay students that they have to be separated for their safety. Somehow, I doubt that is an accurate depiction.

“There is still a lot of work to do,” said Alexander Ruggiers, who led the effort as part of the student group called Queer Inclusion.

“We definitely do not want this to be seen as our one victory and that we need to be happy with what we have now and forget all of the needs that are not being met on this campus.”

Do they not see the irony that a group called itself Queer Inclusion has actually found a way to exclude gay students from the existing student lounge? Maybe the group would be more aptly named Queer Isolation.